Always Remain With You
by mushibesta
Summary: The presence of Soul Edge no longer lingers amid humanity. Even though, a petty evil occurs when Talim got her treasured blades stolen during the night. Tira, standing endurably at the priestess's side, cannot stand the sight of seeing her lover brokenhearted and thus tries something to cheer her up. Shoujo-Ai, Yuri TalimXTira


**AN: **First of all, I must apologize to everyone who is eagerly expectant of the continuation of my previous Soul Calibur fic. I know the story's updates have been EXTREMELY delayed since last chapter, but I tend to have my ideas slowly and write them down slower. Therefore, I believe that fic will have to stay unmoved for now.

Second of all, I decided to write this fic to remember Talim who made me love this franchise in the first place. I'm very fond of Tira as well, and although it's crack, there's no denying (at least for me) that Talim and Tira make the most beautiful and cutest pairing not only in SC but in fanfiction in general. I had the chance to read some of these fics here and there and I'm glad mine will join them.

Lastly, reviews are all greatly appreciated as so are notifications of grammar errors and issues, which to my aversion, I believe the fellow reader will encounter a vast variety of them. This was supposed to be a one-shot but somehow my fics end up much bigger than I expect.

Anyway, enough with the immeasurable blabbering. Enjoy this chapter

Shit, almost forgot: Soul Calibur and everything related does not belong to me. Respective ownership belongs to Namco.

* * *

Sustaining the urge of slumber, Talim woke in sudden awareness. The cries of the wind had brought her to wakefulness in the deep of the night, signifying a quarrel on the flow of life had occurred. Maybe was the need of sleep that was numbing her mind out, but it took some significant time for the priestess understand what had transpired. She instantly set afoot as panic pounded within her soul, her small hands rumbling around packs, clothes and supplies of different qualities and uses, her tiny fingers aching for the touch of steel.

In the end, there was nothing left but a vague spot.

"_Oh no"._

After all, the noise outside had been more than just the nature performing its tool.

* * *

A curtain of sunlight penetrated within the girls' traveling tent, summoning Tira to a waking state. The once demented girl extended her arms to her left side, plotting to cuddle something soft and petite, but much to her disappointment, Talim wasn't present on the bedroll. She opened her eyes, revealing the distinctive pair of lilac gems, her vision aiming for the girl she so much loved. Talim was nowhere to be seen inside the small, nomadic area that had servedas their living quarter for the past days. The brunette only shrugged nonchalantly; it was always common for Talim to get up early. Instinctively and unworriedly, Tira rose to her feet, analyzing her surroundings in slight consternation. Why was the inner of the tent in such disarray? Tira freed a carefree sigh. After she told her countless times how tiding implies a lot to her, Talim was the one who ended up invoking the turmoil. For some reason, however, the young woman of distinctive eyes only chuckled meekly within her breath.

"Oh Tally, better for your sake to have a good reason for this cuz I know exactly the things I'll do to you if you negate your actions, naughty naughty Tally." Tira whispered in a smile that projected second intentions, her monologue ranking beyond perverseness. Although faintly and harmlessly, she seemed to still possess a small part of her past darker self.

The violet-eyed girl eventually began digging into the havoc of clothes, books, provisions and a variety of other things that revealed to be useless at the moment. The searching process took some valuable minutes, but Tira finally managed to found her beloved Eiselne Drossel between a loaf of dried out bread, a detailed map of the European region and, to Tira's fortune, her traveling , she held the uncommon contour of the ring blade with her index finger, revolving it expertly on a steady speed. Then, she firmly halted the movement of the ring blade with the support of her three subsequent fingers, setting Eiselne Drossel securely and flawlessly onto the ground. Smiling lightheartedly, Tira supported her beloved weapon on her shoulder and bent down to grip the worn piece of paper which lines and scales composed strictly the continent of Europe. She flanked out the crumpled map and swept its inners with a quick glimpse of her amethyst eyes. Within a term of three days of leisured hiking, she and Talim would be in the nearest port city of England. She compressed the map back to its folded shape while thoughts of a close future plagued her head. Soon they would embark on a boat targeting the southeast of Asia, which was nothing more than precisely Talim's native homeland. An animated laugh fled from the violet-eyed girl's smile. The priestess's motherland was always a welcoming topic for the campfire nights they shared together, but such tales only peaked out Tira's curiosity to a longer extent. How would be like between Talim's kin was a question that raided torment within her mind. For now, however, she had to displace those issues to the rear of her head. The blazing glows of sunlight defied Tira to a fresh new day and it was challenge she was more than welcome to embrace it. She was quick to discard the worn map away and yet quicker to wear her travelling dark robe. It were humble rags, not worthy of the high and might, but they were comfortable enough and she wasn't for one to put glamor in front of wellbeing. As for the rusted piece of formerly fresh bread, well, Tira could only hope for one starved animal out there in the wilderness to be blessed with luck and meet the flavorless lump of cereals and flour.

Curls of wind swayed back and forth in a yielding pattern, allowing for the broad branches of the many trees to dance rhythmically at the breeze's pace. The damp air of the night was no more, being replaced by the stable temperature of a common spring morning with the sun burnishing lividly, which was quite appeasing to say at least. As much those circumstances granted her a magnificent beginning of a fresh day, only one thing could truly welcome Tira to a dawn of a new venture: the sole sight of her much-loved Talim. Almost intuitively, the sharp violet eyes targeted the outline of the priestess next to the edge of the bottomless ravine.

"_Found Ya…"_

Faced with the shape of her prized savior, Tira couldn't contain the eventual huge grin breeding on her lips: Her perfect, little Talim; too pure to have any kind interaction with the instable girl, yet, too suitable to rest in her arms. Tira's grin, however, bleached when she noticed her lover was not acting her own, serene self. Talim sat down with her knees next to her chest and arms revolved around her legs, her expression oozing with restlessness, her mind seemingly shattering in some distant place. Furthermore, when the violet-eyed girl left the travelling tent, she was counting on the picture of Talim performing her Dance of the Wind discipline, a ritual she practiced every morning in which the priestess executed a choreography of acrobatics, leaps, kicks, slashes and twirls with the aid of her elbow blades aimed for fantasied targets. Tira could not express with just mere words how Talim's complex use of her bladed tonfas and the strikes that flew from her small stature altogether turned into her an otherworldly phenomenon which probing splendor could not be matched by the born of life itself. Every cut she drew on thin air granted her the look of an angel and if one was to look at her face, it could be seen a sage expression that was hardly compatible with Talim's fifteen years of life. But for some reason, the priestess had been pulled out of that quotidian exercise on that morning. Charged with the responsibility of being a worthy lover, Tira was bound to unveil out what had occurred with her dearest Talim. Undaunted, she moved towards the young priestess's direction, the truffles of green grass nearly inaudibly with the contact of the violet-eyed girl's boots.

Talim was devastated. Her distress was vividly perceptible as she sighed heavily under her breath, her mind garbled darkly on the later events she never had a chance to give the slightest glimpse. She was so intensely entangled over her theories when an unexpected hug derived from behind her, clutching her possessively. Abysmal on her dilemma, Talim let out a startled yelp.

"Whoa, Tal, easy. It's me." Said a terrifically familiar voice to Talim's ears.

She instinctively peered back and was met with Tira's piercing eyes and reassuring smile.

"Tira…" Talim whispered back, managing to smile meekly. "You're awake…"

Tira arched her head downwards, supporting her chin lightly on the priestess's left shoulder, their faces brushing softly on contact. "Yeah, I am. You're the one who could tug in some sleep, though." The brunette declared tenderly, her puffs of hot breath touching Talim's soft skin.

Apparently, Tira had noticed the priestess's struggle of halting relentless yawns.

"I can't permit myself to fall asleep. Not after what happened." The priestess admitted, yet sustaining another surge of yawning.

Tira only sighed in response. What a hopeless girl.

"Tira." Talim started, her tone abruptly serious, but nevertheless, pelting a taint of sadness. "Did you notice some kind of movement during the night?"

"Does that have something to do with the fact that our tent had been turned upside down?" Tira asked swiftly, tweaking her embrace more firmly to prevent any opening of escapade. Part of her wanted to see Talim desperately trying to flee from her stable grapple. Yes, it was a tad sadistic, but the sight of the priestess attempting to dodge her strong arms invocated something stimulating within Tira. She definitely had inherited a small fragment of her gloomier personality.

"Tira, please, it's really important. I need to have even the slightest lead." Talim blabbered, her tone now much more beseeching.

"Why, what happened?"

"Can you please stop inquiring my answers? It starts to grow tiresome."

"Then just tell me what happened. A sweet thing like shouldn't act so exasperated. Chill out."

"Exasperated?! I'm just trying to solve out things here!" Talim spouted, attempting to sound demanding; she was acknowledged, however, that what should ring like a respectful request came out like a depressed beg, making her sound utterly pathetic and despaired.

Tira too had noticed this blameless gaffe, struggling hard to not let spill a sequence of frenzied laughs that would only emphasize Talim's embarrassment.

"Fair enough. I guess adding fire to a twig can be fun, saving the fact you have to be careful to not set the whole forest on fire."

"That's an odd analogy, but if it works for you then it works for me as well. Please apologize me, Tira, I know I'm not being quite like myself, but I just don't know where to turn."

"Ok then. Care to shed some light?"

"I would be most pleased to do so. But first, would you mind to let me go for a second? I confess to carve some inquisitiveness for atypical weapons, but I rather have a safe distance from them." The young spiritualist observed, mentioning to the fact of Tira sustaining carelessly her blade of round format over her shoulder, making a vaulted edge few inches away of scratching Talim's left cheek.

Reluctantly, Tira withdrew her arms away from the priestess's skin and took a seat on the green grass next to Talim's left side in a cross-legged fashion and detached Eiserne Drossel from her shoulder to set it limply on the ground. All the while, she had given a profounder analysis at Talim's condition: Not only she had a distinctive look of dishevel that wasn't, by any means, suitable for the welfare of her health and aspect, she retained the aggravating look of someone whose lack of sleep lashed harder than the unyielding wind striking the leaves of the great oak trees without a taint of pity. How Tira would like to hold that girl on her arms and observing her consciousness fading to slumber…

"You look tired, Tal. Wanna go get some sleep inside? I can wait a bit for you, really, it's okay for me." Tira inquired, concern tangible on her voice.

"I appreciate your worry, Tira, but it's unneeded. I'm fine." Talim quietly riposted, a weak, forced smile tracing her lips.

Tira scowled her head down in disbelieve. The priestess had already shown her merit in being proficient in innumerous disciplines. The art of lying, however, was still something she couldn't declare to have specialized.

"No Talim. I think you REALLY should hit some sleep. I know you don't have the most intimidating air around you, but you look particularly fragile today."

"Have you noticed someone entering the tent during nighttime?" Talim asked, clearly evasive of Tira's advices.

It was obvious that the priestess's question had a dodging intuit stamped all over it. However, judging how Tira could easily be deluded into another trail, the bait had successfully done its purpose.

"What?!"

"I thought so…" Talim mumbled, a string of sorrow resounding profoundly on her tone "Now what I'm going to do?"

Tira had a genuine look of puzzlement shining across her face "Whoa, whoa, whoa, let's retrace some steps back, shall we? Do you mean someone entered our tent and made a mess out of it? For what purpose?"

"Whoever invaded our small encampment, he, she or it did more than just making a mess out of it."

"And so you're implying that…" Tira commenced suggestively.

"Don't you get it?" Talim stuttered, despair getting the better out of her "We've been robbed!"

Tira gasped out of surprise.

"What?! We've been looted?!"

"Yes. Yes, we've been…" Talim shamefully confessed, burying her expression down to her knees.

"But, how could that be?"

"I don't know, I don't know. It just happened!"

"But if we've been stolen then… how?"

"Please Tira, I have already stated: I don't know. And believe me when I tell you it would be much more of my tasting to know what happened."

Dumb-founded, the brunette was having some difficulty imagining somebody out there besides themselves in such isolated place. Then again, a starless night and a remote road have always been a bandit's best friend since the start of ages. Matter-of-factly, she knew it of personal experience. Tira shunned those memories off, though; they represented dark times for her, times where the words "love" and "understanding" remained somewhere vague in her vocabulary.

Sudden rage mantled Tira's nature as a possible scenario invaded her head. If they had the unhealthy daring of laying one finger on Talim…

"Did they hurt you?" The violet-eyed girl asked agitated, seizing Talim by the hand.

"Huh?"

"I swear, if they hurt you they will pay… they will pay dearly!"

"Please Tira, don't resume to such drastic actions. I'm untouched."

"Really?"

"Really."

Tira let off Talim's hand, her head freezing out. It's not like radical violence would solve things out.

"So what they took from us?" Tira eagerly asked. She recalled juggled mess that had bred in their habitation, although everything seemed to blend in entirely and the absence of something crucial ceased to exist.

Talim, however, had a different touch to lay on the blurry case. "Syi Salika and Loka Luha."

Tira was once again struck by puzzlement. Those names couldn't be evoked as of alien existence, but still…

"Who?"

The word had been spoken plainly, yet it had a great impact on Talim's disheartened state. She suddenly rose her head up and presented Tira with a sharp stare, woefulness scattered in every corner of her face.

"My blades, Tira." The priestess whimpered, her sparkly, narrowed eyes making obvious she had took Tira's naïve question as an offensive objection. "Relics of my that have been inherited from my earliest ancestors. Blades trusted to my benefit are probably now in some hoodlum's hands. My grandmother had put faith I would make good use of them. How can I even summon audacity to face her now?"

Talim sighed deeply and drove her head down once again. She was recognized of the spite in her tongue and she censured herself to ever cast such temperament over Tira, whose involvement was strictly to be a supportive shoulder and aid her as much as possible. She knew how her lover wanted her to be: Kindhearted, tender, pure. And with sheer frankness, Talim was all of those and much more. But even the purest being on Earth can't tame the pressure forever.

Tira, on the other hand, took frivolously of the dark-ocean haired girl's upset. It had been almost a year since her mind no longer lingered amid two facades of distinctive insanity. Half-year of global journey alongside the Wind Priestess made clear enough to her that everyone had their letdowns. Talim may have acted corrosively before Tira's oblivious attitude; but it was still Talim and her negativism was justifiable. After all, Tira too was fond of her ring blade and she preferred to not think of what would happen if her artifact too was to fall on the scum's possession.

What brought Tira closer to astonishment, though, was the fact of a shadowy vulture slipping through their hut without her consciousness to flare. Whoever deviled Talim's blades away, he or she knew how to apply the ways of thievery properly.

"I'm sorry, Tal. I should have remembered." Tira said numbly, trying to mutter her best remorseful tone.

"No. I'm the one who must beg for pardon. I'm sorry, Tira it's just… It's just too much; the burden of being the priestess of the Wind, the burden of sensing the smallest flow of foulness on what should be peaceful occasions. It's a startling power that I have to wholeheartedly seize and its lumber is proving to be colossal for my shoulders. And now this happened. All remains obscure to me. Even with the cursed sword vanished of this world, people still commit ill-advised actions that wound the very Nature. Why is that? Why are people like that? It is out of necessity? Survival?"

"You can't save everyone, Talim. And even if you could, many are unworthy of your consideration." _Like myself…_"Besides, I'm quite skeptical on believing that your blades were taken out of a question of survival."

"So I guess it's another soul chained to greed. It saddens me."

"Come on now, don't go feelin pity for someone who just robbed made a mess outta of our tent, not to say at least."

"Ah that," Talim started, her tone pacing in a clumsy rate, hinting strongly that she strived to cover lament. "That wasn't the alleged thief, that was my insomnious self who woke by the word of the Wind and Syi Salika and Loka Luha were nowhere in sight so… well… I was panicking so I guess it's reasonable, right?"

"It took me awhile to find Eiserne Drossel, you know? I guess that would level for a fair punishment, naughty Tally."Tira ranted, her tone skinning a certain second intention. At the same time, she crept her head towards Talim's expression, her lips inches away of meeting Talim's earlobe.

Familiarized with Tira's temptations and feeling her breath ravishing softly against her own skin, an impulsive yet well-known chill quested through Talim's spine.

"Uh Tira, I'm not in the mood right now, so please another tim- Agh!"

Suddenly interjecting Talim's discourse, Tira trailed a line in the priestess's earlobe with a slow motion of her tongue. Talim's carriage of thinking crashed right downhill as she felt the dampness of Tira's dribble gradually soaking her susceptible skin. She cautiously casted a look backwards: those eyes of uncommon color brought a crimson shade to the priestess's cheeks.

"Last time I recalled, when it comes to a punishment, two people are required, but only one's will is relevant. Do you see my point, pretty Tally?"

"I-I, won't-"

"How would you like to not protest?"

"I, I-I…"

Talim was having difficulty on recalling minimally coherent words to transmit, let alone uttering them. Then, without a clue of warning, Tira's shadow casted over the smaller girl abruptly left Talim's line of sight. Timidly, as if she was scared to stare, the priestess tossed a glance over her shoulders. What was born as sudden inducement had died as sheer glee: Tira dropped her knees down to the grass and clenched her hands next to her stomach, battling against the wave of laughter that spilled out of her lips without a trace of decency.

"Sorry Tal, sorry, but I couldn't resist! You look just so damn cute when you're embarrassed! "

Bewilderment winning over her, Talim wondered if the latest events had been nothing more than the fruit a wild dream. Then, she drove a finger to her left ear; the wetness of Tira's saliva was more than undisputable evidence that what occurred had been blatant reality. Pain filled Tira's lungs as the stream of laughing echoing throughout the clean sky endured with no sign of halting.

Somehow, instead of permitting herself to be overwhelmed by her companion's inoffensive prank, the anxiety on Talim's soul faded prickly. The privilege of hearing Tira cheerfully laughing without a sparse of corruption vibrating in her voice was a delightful melody to Talim's audition. There were times where that joy connoted to something inhuman; if one was unlucky enough to heed the sequence of giggles poising under the moon's shell, it would most probably be the last sound to ever touch his ears. But now, that same juvenile laugh only represented what a juvenile laugh should represent: pure, sheer happiness of a flamboyant seventeen year old girl.

Still, the burden of the previous night events lingered as a large stone too heavy for Talim's small hands to handle. It was her responsibility to demonstrate disapproval for Tira's actions.

"Come on, Tira. This is serious. I have to sort something out of this situation."

Upon hearing Talim's solid stand, Tira's laughter came to a cease and she raised her head upwards, her pale cheeks glimmering with tears of joy. She crawled her way back to Talim's left side in order to take a seat next to the downcast girl. Although the noise of gratification no longer floated around the forested area, the traces designed on Tira's expression gave a sure indication of her deviation against her own enjoyment.

"I know the mood isn't exactly set for jibs and jabs right now… but I also know that you'd been lying if you said you didn't enjoy it." Tira said, caressing Talim's cheek with nuzzling, slow-paced motions of her index finger.

A thrive of warming relaxation ran through the priestess's heart as the tender touch of her lover lined her expression.

"I wish I didn't, Tira, because I should be completely enraged at you right now." Talim admitted, the exhausted smile penciled in her lips suggesting she was enjoying Tira's affection. "It would be good to work on a meaner character if I don't wish to be abused by you all the time."

"Never behave like that. I want my Tally to be clean as the blue sky above us."

"I think I'm better comparable with a stupid girl who got exploited out of her naiveté."Talim said with a rueful tone dipped in her throat.

The priestess sighed her saddest sigh. The leftovers of last night had been reluctantly reminded by her mind. Opposed to her will, Tira drove her finger away from her companion's weary face. Talim had just subjected to serious issues and although showing affection was good for them both, it only lessened the dilemma slightly.

"So Talim, how are we gonna do from here on?" Tira inquired, voluntary on whatever Talim's option would be.

Being with the dices of choice in her hands had always been overpowering to Talim. But since she was the beset protagonist of the case in question, the decision belonged ultimately to her.

"I don't know. I've got nowhere to start, not even the slightest lead. I have no idea who took Syi Salika and Loka Luha and for what reasons whatsoever. I have no idea if we are leading with a sole soul or whole pack of outlaws. There wasn't left the minimum vestige of presence that could've hinted if my blades are now being carried to the north or south. I'm practically clueless right now."

Dubiousness was set on Tira's mind as she locked gazes with Talim's drained brown irises. The mention of the wind's name before the priestess was akin to sail on obscure, unknown waters without a taint of self-respect ethics. For Talim to been nominated "The Last Priestess of the Wind", it made clear even to the eyes of a blind man that Tira was on a much lower level of understanding those kinds of forces, thus crafting a rather sensitive territory for the girl of lopsided ponytails to step on. But then again, if Tira was to be remarked for something, it wouldn't certainly be by her cautious, thoughtful attitude. Without a warning of even giving a second thought of consideration, the brunette asked bluntly:

"Why don't you call upon the power of the wind or something? Many times you've stated how your blades are linked with such forces. Try doing one of your readings and see if it can lead us to the current position of your blades."

The frankness of her words made it complicated to not believe how raw they have been uttered. Regret flooded Tira's soul as she remembered that unwise chatter about such meticulous matters could lead to grand damage to their sturdy bond. She recalled about that one time where her poor choice of language regarding a plain coil of breeze passing by settled for one of the darkest times of their relationship. Though the heated scenario during that certain day was quick to cool down during that certain night, (where Tira's vocabulary went from imprudent to tender as their bodies wrestled furiously and their lips smashed passionately) the brunette became more attentive of her own words. But apparently, stepping just once on the minefield hadn't been enough for her to learn the lesson.

Before she could apologize, the brunette's words had already hit Talim's destabilized spirits; although not quite how Tira expected.

"The Wind… no longer accepts me as her priestess. It blames me for the loss of Syi Salika and Loka Loha. It was due to my carelessness that they are now gone. The Wind now cries once again, but It demands another holder since I've failed miserably at my purpose." Talim whispered in a tone of sorrowfulness, her body visibly cringing and trembling not due to cold but to the overwhelming feeling of fear. "Without the aid of the Winds I've got nothing. I'm left as a miserable insect waiting to be stepped on. I don't have my blades and the Wind has left me so I have no means to serve the purpose I've been entitled to. Due to my mistake now I have… I have nothing."

Her beliefs were set in that way. She had nothing. Everything had abandoned her. Her mind deceived Talim to that kind of judgment until a familiar hand fell gently on her shoulder and proved her otherwise.

"You have me. I'm right here, Tal. I may not know how your link with that kind of force works but one thing I do now: You can make the stupidest of mistakes for all I care. All that matters for me is to be at your side. And excuse me for the vulgar choice of words, but if the wind blames you for making the minor of mistakes then I blame the wind for being such a cynical asshole."

Talim's body eventually relaxed as she permitted her lover's hand to fondle her skin, vowing to protect her. Tira's touch seemed to possess that odd power: It could either drive the priestess out of her problems or dive her deeper into them.

"I know you try your best to tolerate the stubborn that I am." Talim said meekly with a tiny smile plastered on her lips. "And I feel an obligation to thank you for that."

"Nonsense. That's the fun part after all: You and your little head, always thinking for the wellbeing of others, turning you blinded of your very own. Of course, it would be of my utmost guilt to not light your way onwards." Tira said jokingly, yet simultaneously leaking an unquestionable truth.

"I know we both share the same keenness of returning back to my hometown, Tira; you shall meet new faces while I'll revive old ones. However, if I go back empty-handed then neither of us will be looked upon with the best of eyes. It may not be of your liking but I have to ask if you wouldn't mind to remain here in Europe for a while, at least until I have a plausible explanation of what happened."

"Talim, how many times I need you to tell this old tale?"

With all the compassion she could display, Tira seized her lover's hands to her own and proceeded to give it a warm squeeze, the kindness on her smile making hard to believe that she once had been a pawn of wicked, distorted influences.

"No matter how and where destiny lunges you, I'll always be part of it."

Talim was speechless. Never had she thought before that her selfless task of aiding the destitute would lead her to the best thing of her life.

"Tira… If not for your support, I had already fallen long ago."

Despite its utterance flourished as honestly as the tiny smile on her face, Talim's words only spoke faintly in matters of truth. The mystical duo of violet gems belonging to the leper girl trailed its attention towards the ravine downhill: Far away, a lone windmill stood strikingly among the gathering of trees which towering height dared to match some of the most sturdy and tall creations that mankind has ever produced. Even though of its artificial origins, the windmill willingly linked hands with nature itself as it allowed the breeze of the wind to rave at the same pattern and timing of the many trees spread around its corners. It was a simple, hardly outstanding and rustic image, but Tira found it astonishing how flora and humanity could enthrall together.

And it was all thanks to Talim.

Thanks to the girl whose meek stature couldn't be matched with her gigantic heart, Tira had unveiled a fruitful sort of realities. She had learned how to raise something of agreeable from the minor of outlooks. She had learned another way of feeling alive beyond murder. She had learned how the decisions of her own life were entirely dominated by her bidding. And of course, most importantly, she had learned how to love. Recollecting every moment she spent alongside the priestess, whether it had been sweet or sour, she couldn't reminisce one single occasion where her presence had proven useful to Talim's sake. After Talim allowed her to rebirth with a new life, Tira hadn't managed since to do a damn thing that would pay for the kindness the priestess had displayed on that faithful day. Maybe there was chance in there. Maybe even someone dim-witted as the violet-eyed girl could stake something that would ladder up Talim's frail spirits. She gazed upon Eiserne Drossel flawless surface, bulking up an idea. She rose to her feet and offered her hand to her lover as well. Talim's eyes swarmed by the black of rings of somnolence were agape with bewilderment.

"Huh… Tira?"

"Come on then." Tira said with a grin that revealed her white teeth, her arm still outstretched for Talim's approval. "Since you refuse to get some rest let's get you a bit more shabby at least. The morning is so nice this day, it would be a shame to let it pass by."

"I don't understand what you're implying…"

"Look, I'm sorry for the loss of Syi Salika and Loka Luha and as you've stated, there's nothing we can do for the moment. However, instead of lying down and crying there's something I liked to teach you during the aftermath. You know I always be there for you in times of need and times of not-so-much need, but there's always the chance of happening a little slip. So instead of rendering vulnerable, you could learn a few tricks that can very well save your life."

Talim was finally capturing Tira's meaning, although it was far from being a tantalizing idea. "Wait, Tira, you're not suggesting that-"

"You've already proved to be a capable contester in dancing with the wind." Tira held out her ring blade high, subliming the shining surface and the striking steel, characteristics that surely shouldn't fall on the undervalued category. "How about a little try with the death now?"

A cherry note that fell grim on Talim's ears, leaving the priestess a bit more than reluctant.

"W…What?"

* * *

**AN: ** Aspects I would like to clarify about this chapter:

I don't know how the girls ended up in England in the first place. I've should made a background reference of this but I'm too lazy to do so.

I don't know if in 16th century there such things as "travelling tents". I've should made a research on this, but then again, my lack of motivation halted to do so and therefore I must apologize for my ignorance.

I know Tira's persona is oozing with OOCness but allow me to explain. This is supposedly a scenario I've made up where Talim met Tira and freed her from the clutches of Soul Edge. Eventually, they ended up journeying together, where their bond became strong enough to the point of reaching love. I believe this has a small influence from a fic I've read long ago. Basically, this is my attempt on writing a "sane" Tira.

Lastly, I would like to take this part of this page to just say how much the fifth installment of SC sucked some royal balls. I can't believe how Namco just ignored some of the veterans of Soul Calibur to include a cast of distasteful characters. Not only Talim, but Cassandra, Yun-Seong, Seong Mi-Na, Rock and Zasalamel just to name a few. I'll live with 2,3 and 4.

Again, reviews are greatly appreciated.


End file.
